Parkscape Landscaping

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Parkscape Landscaping Parkscape is dedicated to providing elegant and functional landscapes suitable for any style of home

Parkscape is dedicated to providing elegant and functional landscapes suitable for any style of home. Our staff will work with you to design and build your dream yard, keeping your wants and needs as our number one priority. We specialize in patios, masonry, water features, softscapes and fences so whatever the job we’ll be able to help you create it.

08/01/2026

600 amps. 12,000 pounds. One serious installation. 💪

We’re fortunate to work with clients who bring us some pretty unique challenges.

On this Forest Hill project, we were asked to install a 600-amp power vault for a new residence to accommodate the Toronto Hydro electrical service.

Our team got to work excavating the base with our Kubota Canada U35 excavator from Kooy Brothers Len Janse preparing the foundation with a minimum of six inches of clear gravel, and carefully leveling the base before assembling the three-piece precast vault.

A big shoutout to JCL Concrete Pumping for keeping the gravel supply moving with their gravel slinger, making it possible to efficiently place the clear gravel exactly where we needed it.

Then came the big part…

We brought in our Freightliner truck equipped with a Hiab crane to set the vault into place. The second section weighed approximately 12,000 pounds, pushing the limits of our crane’s lifting capacity. We had to carefully plan and build an entranceway to get the truck and crane into position.

With great coordination between our team and the electrician, we got everything installed, perfectly level, and ready for the Toronto Hydro inspection.

The best part? We’ve incorporated the vault into the overall landscape design so it will be beautifully concealed from view once the project is complete.

These are the challenges we love.

At Parkscape, we don’t say no when our clients bring us something unique. We figure it out, bring the right people and equipment together, and get the job done.

This is what sets us apart.

07/04/2026

Pro Tip: The Step Most Concrete Contractors Skip 👇

Right after we screed and level the driveway, Mike Pagotto runs a tool called a jitterbug across the surface.

Most people don’t realize what it’s doing.

The jitterbug pushes the aggregate slightly deeper into the concrete while bringing the cement cream to the surface. That cream makes the slab easier to finish, but it also serves another important purpose.

When we come back later to acid wash and texture the concrete, that healthy layer of cream protects the aggregate from being exposed. The result is a more consistent colour, a smoother texture, and a higher-quality finished product.

The catch? Timing is everything.

If the concrete is too wet, the jitterbug sinks too deep. Wait too long, and it won’t pe*****te enough to do its job. Knowing exactly when to use it comes from years of experience.

It’s a small extra step that many contractors skip—but it’s details like this that separate a good concrete job from a great one.

07/03/2026

🌿 Why are your hydrangeas wilting? Don’t panic!

If you’re in the Toronto area, we’re in the middle of a heat wave, and hydrangeas are almost always the first plant in the garden to let you know they’re feeling the stress.

When you see the flower heads and leaves drooping like this, it’s called flagging. It doesn’t necessarily mean your plant is unhealthy or lacking nutrients. More often, it simply can’t pull enough moisture out of the soil fast enough to keep up with the heat.

Now is the time to make a small adjustment to your irrigation.

💧 Increase your garden bed watering times by about 20–25%, but don’t switch to watering every day if you can avoid it. Deep, infrequent watering is still the best approach because the roots also need oxygen. Allowing the soil to dry slightly between watering cycles encourages stronger, healthier root systems.

During extreme heat, your hydrangeas need a little extra moisture so they can:
✅ Stay hydrated
✅ Move nutrients through the plant
✅ Support those beautiful blooms
✅ Recover from heat stress

Hydrangeas are like the “canary in the coal mine” of your landscape. They’ll flag long before many other plants show signs of stress, making them a great indicator that it’s time to adjust your irrigation.

If your hydrangeas are looking like this today, don’t assume they’re dying. Give them a deep drink, increase your watering duration by about 25%, and they’ll often perk back up once temperatures cool down.

How are your hydrangeas handling this heat? Let me know in the comments! 🌸💦

PlantCare HeatWave SummerGardening Parkscape LandscapeDesign GardenAdvice HealthyGarden

06/11/2026

Fence board painting machine - v1

-o-matic

We build a lot of linear fences that require every board to be hand-painted and stained before installation. The problem? It’s incredibly time-consuming. On our last project, it took one person nearly three full days in the shop just to get all the boards coated.

So I borrowed an idea I found online.

I came across a board-painting machine that sells for around $5,000 and figured, with a good team and a little creativity, we could build something ourselves for a lot less.

Introducing the Board Painter 5000. 🚀

This is our first prototype, and honestly, it’s working surprisingly well. We’re still dialing it in—I’d like to experiment with different roller materials and maybe thin the paint slightly to improve consistency—but for a first version, we’re pretty impressed.

On our latest job, the crew was able to paint more boards in a single day than we could previously do in several days by hand. That’s a huge win for productivity and helps us keep projects moving.

There’s still some hand touch-up required afterward, but that’s all part of the process. The goal isn’t perfection on version one—it’s improvement. And so far, the Board Painter 5000 is doing exactly that.

We’ll keep refining it, testing new ideas, and sharing the results. Stay tuned to see what Version 2.0 looks like.

04/19/2026

We obsess over the small details

That’s why we planned ahead for our slats to line up perfectly over the hidden door

If you would like a backyard living space like this, please feel free to DM us!

04/14/2026

These pins protrude when the handle is turned

The pins lock into the track keeping the panels in place

When the handle is turned again, the pins retract and the panel is free to move

Video by

04/13/2026

This slatted wall is coming along nicely

Video

04/12/2026

These tracks on the have to be dead level or else the glass panels would not glide smoothly

Video

04/11/2026

We’re getting close to the finish line on this cabana, and along the back two walls—tight to the fence line—we’ve gone with a full stucco system.

This was a strategic choice for two big reasons.

First, performance. The stucco assembly adds extra R-value, helping keep the space cooler during those hot summer days.

Second, maintenance. With only about 12 inches of clearance once the fence is in, this area would be nearly impossible to access long-term. Stucco solves that—it’s durable, clean, and doesn’t need repainting or ongoing upkeep.

The process itself is pretty cool to watch. We start with insulation, then apply a fiberglass mesh embedded in a base coat for strength. After that comes a white coat to block out any bleed-through from the darker base, (this step is key and should never be skipped) and finally the color coat goes on top—which is happening later today.

And honestly, watching these guys work… it’s something else. This isn’t just a trade—it’s craftsmanship. Real artistry.

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57 Ingram Drive
Toronto, ON
M6M2L6

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